Position Paper for Lisa Murkowski - Abortion

As a practicing Roman Catholic, Senator Murkowski is personally opposed to the practice of abortion. In fact, she does whatever she can to support societal assistance to women and families to alleviate the pressures that cause some to consider abortion. In her four years in the Alaska State Legislature and now in the U.S. Senate, Senator Murkowski has and intends to support funding for pre-natal care, counseling, health care, adoptive services and tangible financial support for newborns, be it for the Women, Infants and Children nutritional program (WIC) or for Head Start programs for children.

Senator Murkowski recently introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate to help cut the cost of adoption by allowing couples to take money out of their IRA's without penalties or taxes being applied. With the cost of adoption reaching and exceeding $10,000 she believes that we must find ways to make adoption more affordable.

The question, however, is that as a public official in a secular society Senator Murkowski has sworn an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution and the laws of both this nation and of the State of Alaska. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the U.S. Constitution recognizes abortion, and the Alaska Constitution provides the same.

The Court has said in its rulings that reasonable federal and state laws to limit when and where abortions can take place may be allowed. Last year, Senator Murkowski co-sponsored legislation to outlaw "partial birth" abortions nationwide, which has now passed Congress and become law. And Senator Murkowski supports reasonable restrictions to abortion. She also opposes use of taxpayers funds for abortions, except in the instances of rape, incest or life of the mother.